Curriculum

The Arts Department seeks to enable each student to discover and realize her creative potential, to foster an understanding of the artistic achievements of her own and other cultures, and to foster a life-long appreciation of the arts by developing proficiency in expressing her ideas through the artistic media, developing criteria for making aesthetic judgments, and by integrating the arts with other disciplines.

The English Department holds the discovery and expression of each student’s voice as a primary goal and invites students to develop a life-long appreciation for literature and language through critical thinking and writing skills, authentic self-appraisal, and respect for people and cultures.

The History Department seeks to cultivate a strong spirit of inquiry in its students and to develop the skills necessary to recognize patterns, themes, people, and events of the past and the connections of the past with the present. The curriculum reflects the increasingly interdependent world and strives to produce citizens capable of acting with competence and confidence to make contributions beyond the SPSG community. SPSG girls will understand the voices of women in the past and be prepared to exercise their own voices in the future.

The Library Media Center serves as an integral part and extension of the learning process by providing materials and services that reflect curriculum needs, by teaching the effective use of resources, and by fostering the continual growth of critical thinking skills as well as independence and self-reliance.

The Mathematics Department seeks to instill in each student confidence in her ability to learn and apply mathematics; to encourage independent critical-thinking; to foster mastery of fundamental mathematical skills and concepts; to develop analytical problem-solving skills; and to broaden the student's appreciation of the beauty and value of the discipline and of its ubiquitous presence and importance in the world around her.

The Religious Studies Department seeks to provide opportunities for the development of faith and sound moral decision-making through the study of different communities of belief, their scripture, their worship, and their practice.

Beginning with the class of 2012, the graduation requirement for Religious Studies will be two half-credit courses, one in Grade IX and the other in Grades XI or XII. All members of the class of 2009 must complete at least one of religious studies electives during the 2008-9 school year. Members of the class of 2010 may choose to complete their religious studies requirement during either their junior or senior years. There is also the option of taking an additional semester elective in the Religious Studies department for interested students.

The Science Department is dedicated to providing a well-rounded science education that features theoretical understanding supported by a strong experimental laboratory experience; developing the habits of mind required for scientific inquiry, which include careful acquisition and evaluation of data, quantitative reasoning, and integrity in written and verbal communication; and cultivating the knowledge and skills that will allow students to function as responsible citizens in an increasingly complex technological society.

The World Language Department prepares students to embrace, respect, and celebrate the global and multicultural community by providing a strong foundation in both the communication and the culture of the target language, using the guidelines of the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Language.

Students are offered the opportunity to pursue courses in French, Chinese, Japanese, or Spanish, some of which are coordinated with St. Paul’s School. Students must successfully complete three consecutive years of one language in the Upper School. Course levels are determined by teacher recommendations and by proficiency demonstrated on qualifying tests upon the completion of each year of study. The objective of each course is to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in the target language. The Language Department teaches Level I and Honors level courses in the Upper School when there is sufficient enrollment in those languages.